Mars Exploration Study Workshop II: Report of a Workshop Sponsored By
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NASA Conference Publication 3243 Mars Exploration Study Workshop II Report of a workshop sponsored by NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and held at the Ames Research Center May 24-25, 1993 Michael B. Duke and Nancy Ann Budden Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 1993 Preface The Mars Exploration Study Project was undertaken by the Exploration Programs Office (now the Planetary Projects Office) in response to the strategic planning initiatives of the Associate Administrator for Exploration, NASA Headquarters in the summer of 1992. The purpose of the study, as viewed by the Associate Administrator for Exploration, was to establish a vision for the human exploration of Mars which would serve as a mechanism for understanding program and technical requirements that would be placed on a precursor lunar exploration program being developed by the Office of Exploration (The First Lunar Outpost). Emphasis was placed on determining the commonality between the Mars and Moon exploration programs to help ensure that total costs for both programs would be minimized and that the lunar program would not contain dead ends which would be difficult or expensive for the Mars program to correct if both programs are carried out sequentially. The study team chose an approach that emphasized the important aspects of Mars exploration without consideration of the lunar capability. Because Mars exploration is inherently more complex than initial lunar exploration programs, it was considered important to identify the characteristics required for Mars so the evolution of a FLO-like lunar program that would optimize the programmatic interactions could be planned. The result, toward which the study is progressing, is a coherent view of Mars exploration which is valuable in its own right as well as being useful for the integrated programmatic view. From the outset, it was clear that the Mars study would progress most effectively in an atmosphere of openness to new ideas from outside of NASA. Although most of the study activities represented in the work and in this report have been produced by NASA employees, active interchanges between the study team and non-NASA researchers have been encouraged and many "not-invented-here" concepts have been included in the study. The workshop summarized by this report was held on May 24-25, 1993 at the Ames Research Center. It gathered the NASA study team and a group of non-NASA Mars exploration enthusiasts in an environment which allowed and even encouraged criticism. This report provides an overview of the status of the Mars Exploration Study, materials presented at the workshop, and discussions of open items being addressed by the study team. In particular, the design reference mission (DRM) was reviewed and focused. The workshop advanced a DRM that significantly reduces the perceived high costs, complex infrastructure and long schedules associated with previous Mars scenarios. The strategy enhances the mission return, improves the safety of the crew, and reduces or eliminates many of the obstacles associated with conventional strategies. This review of the DRM is believed to be an essential step in improving our understanding of technique, risk and cost. In addition, three teams were assembled to address issues of cost, dual- use technologies, and international involvement. It was believed that the definition of the DRM would allow these issues to be addressed in a more coherent manner. The current phase of the Mars Exploration Study is expected to be complete in December, 1993, when a comprehensive technical report will be assembled. This workshop was successful primarily due to the efforts of Nancy Ann Budden, who coordinated the meeting content and logistics from Houston, as well as Geoff Briggs, Doug O'Handley, and Larry Lemke at Ames Research Center who provided local workshop coordination iii PRCdBIDIN_ PAGE BLANK NOT FtI.I_D and support. The Mars Study Team reviewed the manuscript with particular inputs from Stan Borowski, John Connolly, Andy Gonzales, Lisa Guerra and David Weaver. David Black and Mary Cloud at the Lunar and Planetary Institute provided support for the outside participants. This paper is Lunar and Planetary Institute contribution number 820. Michael B. Duke Houston, Texas iv CONTENTS Page Io The Premise for Mars Exploration .............................................................................. 2 A. The Rationale and Objectives for Mars Exploration ....................................................... 2 B. The Reference Mission .................................................................................................... 3 1. Purpose of the Reference Mission ....................................................................... 3 2. Reference Mission Overview .............................................................................. 4 C. The Surface Mission ........................................................................................................ 7 1. Surface Mission Overview .................................................................................. 7 (a) Implications of Mission Objectives ......................................................... 7 (1) Conduct human missions to Mars ............................................... 7 (2) Conduct applied science research to use Mars resources to augment life-sustaining systems .................................................. 7 (3) Conduct basic science research to gain new knowledge about the solar system's origin and history ........................................... 8 (4) Surface System Definition Philosophy - Safety Philosophy ....... 8 2. Principal Elements of the Surface Mission ......................................................... 9 (a) Surface Mission Objectives ..................................................................... 9 (I) Science Objectives ...................................................................... 9 (2) Habitation objectives ................................................................. 11 (b) Surface Mission Timelines .................................................................... 11 (c) Human Factors and Crew Size .............................................................. 13 (d) Mars Surface Habitat ............................................................................. 16 (e) Life Support Systems ............................................................................ 23 (f) ISRU System ......................................................................................... 27 (g) Mobility ................................................................................................. 28 (h) EVA Systems ........................................................................................ 30 (i) Power Systems ...................................................................................... 31 3. Systems Engineering and Integration of Surface Systems ................................ 34 D. Space Transportation ..................................................................................................... 41 1. TMI Stage .......................................................................................................... 41 2. Mars Orbit Capture and Descent Stage ............................................................. 42 3. Ascent Vehicle .................................................................................................. 42 4. Earth-Return Vehicle ......................................................................................... 43 II. Issues for Mars Exploration ......................................................................................... 46 A. Surface-Transit Habitat Integration Issues .................................................................... 46 B. Space Transportation Issues .......................................................................................... 46 IlL Working Group White Papers ..................................................................................... 53 A. Cost Working Group: Cost Credibility ........................................................................ 54 B. Dual-Use Technology Working Group: "Opportunities for Dual-Use Mars Technology in Exploration". ......................................................................................... 61 C. International Cooperation Working Group: "Building International Mars Cooperation for Exploration". ....................................................................................... 73 Appendix A: Summary of Workshop ................................................................................ 77 A. Overview of Workshop ................................................................................................. 77 B. Agenda ........................................................................................................................... 78 C. Presented Papers ............................................................................................................ 79 D. Charters and Questions for Working Groups ................................................................ 80 Appendix B: List of Participants ........................................................................................ 83 vi TABLES Page 1 Mars Exploration Program Technical Objectives ...................................................................... 3 2 Principal Functions of Life-Critical